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Mench attended The Independence School and St. Mark's High School in Delaware. Following high school, Mench attended the University of Delaware where he led the Blue Hens to the NCAA tournament in 1998 and 1999. In 1998, Mench led the NCAA with 33 home runs and knocked in 72 runs to earn Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Year and consensus All-America Honors. In the America East, he was named Rookie of the Year in 1997 and Player of the Year in 1998 and 1999. On June 2, 1999, the Texas Rangers drafted Mench in the fourth round with the 118th overall pick. For his accomplishments, Mench was inducted into the University of Delaware athletics hall of fame in 2005.

On April 26, 2006, Mench became the 19th player in major league history to hit a home run in at least six straight games. The streak started, oddly, not too long after Mench discovered that a recurring toe injury was due to a shoe problem – he had been wearing size 12 shoes since his teenage years, but discovered his actual shoe size was 12½.[2]

On April 28, Mench extended his home run streak to seven straight games, shattering his own franchise record with the Texas Rangers, and setting an all-time record for right-handed batters.[3] The current record for most consecutive games with a home run is 8, held by Dale Long, Don Mattingly, and Ken Griffey, Jr.

During the subsequent offseason, Mench had been repeatedly criticized by Brewers fans on radio programs for his lackluster 2006 performance with the Brewers. Mench hit only .230 with 1 home run and 18 runs batted in for the Brewers. Mench also stated he did not want to platoon in left field, taken by many fans as an excessive demand considering his performance for the Brewers so far.

On January 16, 2007, Mench and the Brewers agreed on a one-year contract for the 2007 season that would pay him $3.4 million. he was not offered a new contract by the Brewers and became a free agent on December 12, 2007. On February 12, 2008, Mench signed a minor league deal to return to the Rangers.[4]

On May 9, 2008, Mench was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for cash considerations.[5] On August 25, 2008, Mench was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse by the Blue Jays, but was recalled in early September.